Maggie Smith: A Biography

This hagiography of the Downton Abbey and Harry Potter star is an updated and expanded edition of an earlier effort by theater critic Coveney: Maggie Smith: A Bright Particular Star, published in 1994. More turns out to be less for this overwritten biography, which says much but reveals very little about the actor, who rarely gives interviews. Coveney recounts detailed plot summaries of many of Smith’s plays and films, consistently emphasizing how extraordinary Smith is in each production. When the author himself isn’t gushing, he’s quoting other admirers, including playwrights Tom Stoppard, Edward Albee, and Anthony Shaffer; costars Michael Palin and John Moffatt; and director Jack Clayton. There are some nice examples of Smith’s withering wit, but this volume never delivers much insight into the “tragic intensity” and “technical skill” that makes her stage and screen roles so unforgettable. While the book covers Smith’s upbringing in Oxford, schooling, and initial career, as well as her seven-year marriage to actor Robert Stephens, these episodes are bogged down with minutiae that bore rather than illuminate. Fans of Smith may not be able to resist a biography of her, but they will likely be disappointed by this one. [em](Dec.) [/em]